Spinal Ailments

spinal stenosis

Like the foot, the spinal column is one of the parts of the body under the most stress. It supports your entire upper body and protects your vital spinal cord. Also much like the foot, it is very prone to disorder because of the stress it goes through. In fact, spine-related problems are one of the most common ailments in the world.

There are four general types of spinal ailments. Degenerative spine disease involves all types of wearing down of the spine due to many reasons. This mostly happens to older people because of their advanced age and years of stress weakening the spinal column, but it can also occur in the younger population. Too much back strain can cause this to happen earlier in life. Common examples of degenerative spine disease are herniated discs, spinal stenosis and spinal instability.

Spine trauma involves any injury that can affect the spinal column. Any injury to the spinal column, spinal cord or the spinal tissue can fall under this. Injuries do not merely involve direct ones. Being hit in the head can send pressure down the spine, causing injury. Spinal trauma cannot be generally diagnosed and treated due to its unique nature. Spine injuries are almost always unique since the spine is composed of so many different interconnected parts. Trauma to the bones and ligaments will only cause pain. Injuries that affect the spinal cord can cause various nerve problems like paralysis, loss of feeling, involuntary movement, and more.

Spinal tumors is exactly as it says; tumors in the spine. It can either be a primary or secondary tumor; coming from the spine or somewhere else that infected the spine, causing the tumor. There are three possible places for a tumor to grow; on the spinal cord itself, in the spinal canal's dural covering but not the spinal cord itself, or the outside, the soft tissue and bone. The most dangerous are tumors on the spinal cord, since it can cause paralysis and irregular nerve signals. Ones on the tissue and bones often cause mostly pain.

Spinal dysraphisms are spinal cord or vertebral column abnormalities, mostly related to its development. This type of ailment can be any of the following: spina bifida occulta, meningocele, myleomeningocele, and syringomyleia. These all involve an error in how the spine grows, either by natural, deliberate or accidental causes. The spine can be bent into a strange shape, and this can affect the spinal cord itself.

If you think you have any of these problems with your spinal column, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. Prevention is better than cure.